Thursday, October 18th
09:00 - 10:15
Four representative users will be asked to accomplish a task that a modern household gadget was designed to do. The gadget can do it, but can the users use it?
Observe the users as they work with the gadget to accomplish the task. Notice the differences in behaviours and problem solving and ask yourself: Was the UX in the design sufficient or could adjustments to the UX have enhanced user performance and reduced possible frustrations.
In short: did the product keep it’s promise to the client.
In the debriefing phase of the event, Klaus Hofer and Bruce Horn, will discuss what we observed. In addition to basic usability test criteria we will speak to:
- Human reasoning
- Emotional intelligence
- Cultural imprinting
- Foreign language interference
- Questions from our user reps or the audience in the room.
Thursday, October 18th
09:00 - 10:15
Bruce Horn
- AI Stealth Startup
Bruce’s lifelong interest is developing computer technology to augment human capabilities. He is launching a company in early 2019 to make AI faster, easier, cheaper and more available—to fulfill its promise as a powerful tool for improving our ability to solve the world’s complex problems.
Previously Bruce was an Intel Fellow and Chief Technical Officer for the Saffron Technology Group at Intel. He was responsible for driving new applications and uses for memory-based reasoning, a fundamentally new approach in the development of intelligent personal devices and systems.
Horn is most widely known for his work at Apple, where he created and developed the Macintosh Finder. He began his career as a member of the Learning Research Group at Xerox PARC, where he contributed to several implementations of the Smalltalk virtual machine.
Horn earned a B.S. In Mathematical Sciences from Stanford University in 1981, and an M.S. and Ph.D. In Computer Science from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1994.
Klaus Hofer
CEO - CATi
Founder of Communications And Training international – CAT-i
Professional associations
- APA – American Psychological Association
- STC – Society for Technical Communication
- WUC – World Usability Congress
- IABC – International Association for Business Communications
How it started 1970 – 1976
My early work in aviation and hospitals lead to my interest in cognitive and organizational psychology. I needed to understand: Why can well-trained highly motivated people make deadly errors? I wanted researched answers, not judgmental opinions. My ongoing studies and research in behavioral and cognitive psychology provide the basis for my professional life.
Transition 1977 – 1995
After too many years in too many universities (Australia, Canada, USA and Germany), I developed a full semester course and corporate workshop: “Applied Psychology for Technical Communicators”. Initially presented at the University of Massachusetts in 1986, I taught multiple variations of this course at several colleges, universities and corporations in North America, Asia, and Europe.
Current Work 1995 – 2016
I research, consult and teach. Together with specialists in Houston Texas, our team currently conducts the first series of usability tests of operating procedures in a live operating petrochemical plant. Our emphasis continues to be on applied human behaviour research into designing user centered documentation. Together with my team I continue our active involvement with the World Usability Congress and our partners in Austria and Switzerland.
My Vision
My team and I envision the day when no operators anywhere in the world have to perform a procedure that does not follow the principles of human cognition and behavior.